Word Origin & History

polite 1263, from L. politus "refined, elegant," lit. "polished," pp. of polire "to polish, to make smooth." Used literally at first in Eng.; sense of "elegant, cultured" is first recorded 1501, that of "behaving courteously" is 1762.

Example Sentences for polite

Your lordships wishes are commands with me, said Manuel, with a polite salutation.

Dolores asked, and her mother leaned forward with polite interest.

But the boys meant to be polite and, after all, that is what counts.

The elder one, if he is married, and if he is polite to her, becomes her best friend.

A certain magistrate told somebody whom he was examining in court that he or she "should always be polite to the police."

She urged him; he opposed her entreaties with a polite but firm resistance.

He certainly never appeared better; so polite and thoughtful and friendly.

On these occasions he was too vain to see what she was too polite to show him offensively.

Henry's advances brought him smack up against a stone wall of polite but definite refusal.